Diljeet Taylor is redefining what it means to coach along the way, she's turned BYU into a women's distance-running powerhouse
IT IS TEMPTING TO ASK DILJEET TAYLOR HOW SHE GETS IT ALL DONE.
It's Monday, November 8, 2021, and the head women's cross-country coach at Utah's Brigham Young University has been going nonstop since about 5:30 this morning-squeezing in a predawn run with a friend, teaching a community fitness class, driving her two boys to school, supervising her runners at practice, holding one-on-one meetings, shopping for groceries. But if any version of how do you find time escapes your lips, be prepared for Taylor to cut you off: I don't have time.
Now it's 5 p.m. and Taylor is methodically prepping dinner for her athletes-washing and slicing broccoli, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes on the massive marble-topped island of her gleaming white kitchen in the home she shares with her husband, Ira; their sons, 11-year-old Taj and 7-year-old Avi; and their two dogs.
The house, in a neighborhood at the foot of Provo's Little Rock Canyon, should be a mess. The kitchen floor was just replaced a day ago, there's a pool half-installed in the backyard, and a portable toilet for the construction crew sits in the driveway. But no. Every countertop is sparkling, the floors look clean enough to eat off of, and no coffee-table book is out of place. Even Taylor's bedroom, which she proudly opens to show off her two Pelotons-a treadmill and a bike has a crisply made bed with perfectly fluffed pillows.
This story is from the Issue 04, 2022 edition of Runner's World US.
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This story is from the Issue 04, 2022 edition of Runner's World US.
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Twenty-One Years Ago, He Incarcerated Was for Life. Last Year, He Ran the NYC Marathon a Radically Changed Man.
Rahsaan Thomas rounded a corner.
100 WOMEN. 100 MILES. ONE HISTORIC RECORD.
On June 3, 2023, a group of 100 women came together to reclaim the 100x1-mile relay world record. | It reminded her of what she loved about running in the first place: a tight-knit community of women.
CAN YOUR GARMIN WATCH REPLACE A COACH?
Artificial Intelligence continues to rapidly creep into seemingly every facet of our daily lives. While no amount of computer learning will ever be able to do the actual running for you, there are aspects, like coaching, where AI could have a meaningful impact. In every debate about Al, the conversation almost always includes this question: Is it better than what humans can accomplish? In the case of running, would Coach AI be better than, say, Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympian and coach of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two men at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February?
A SHORTLIVED AFFAIR WITH A WALKING BOOT
“Usually, engage in all kinds of activities when start a relationship. With you, Fiking, dancing, and running are clearly of the table.”
HOW TO (NOT) COMPETE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
Our first race together was a 5K Color Run. I'm not sure why we signed up, because neither of us was a runner, but in May 2016, my boyfriend of three years, Jonathan, and I showed up to run around the parking lot at Citi Field. It was fun, but I didn't think it would amount to anything.
GAMIFY TRAINING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU
Instead of sticking to an iron-clad structure and numbers, I've tailored it to what motivates me, borrowing from the community around me and learning from their training.
THIS KITCHEN GADGET IS AN UNHERALDED TRAINING TOOL
Not only would the rice cooker help me meal-prep and pile on the carbs, but it was a badge of honor, a commitment to serious training.
REASONS TO RACE BEYOND CHASING A TIME GOAL
It's the determination, joy, and pride I see shine on everyone-a unique light that seems to illuminate most when running races-that brings more meaning to the miles.
A LIFETIME JOURNEY OF FUELING MISTAKES
DURING THE 2023 New York City Marathon, Runner's World set up shop in an empty storefront on West 57th Street with Adidas and hosted three days of inspiring talks, shakeout runs, and shoe demos.
THE ACCIDENTAL JOY OF RUNNING WITHOUT HEADPHONES
I'M FUMING. I rummage through my work tote, turn my workout bag inside out, lift every notebook on my desk, go through the pockets of every piece of clothing in my zone of vision, then my tote again... It's 5 p.m. I'm standing in the middle of the office dressed for a run, but my AirPods are nowhere to be found-and I can't possibly leave without them!
